Whale Watching Tour in Gloucester
Recommended by 96% of travelers
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Gloucester, USA
+2
- 4 hours (approx.)
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Overview
Give yourself the best chance of seeing whales in the wild on this half-day boat tour from Gloucester to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Hop on a high-speed catamaran that gets to and from the whales in the least amount of time possible. Once there, look out for humpback and fin whales, plus Atlantic white-sided dolphins and harbor porpoises with the help of a naturalist guide. The on-board galley offers hot meals, snacks and beverages for purchase during the trip.
- Experience one of the world's top whale-watching destinations
- This half-day tour is easy to fit into a full day out in Gloucester
- Learn insider facts and stories from your naturalist guide
- Get to Stellwagen Bank faster aboard a high-speed catamaran
What's Included
- Naturalist onboard
- Professional guide
- Full galley
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 415 Main St, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Ticket Redemption Point
415 Main St, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA
Itinerary
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Please dress appropriately to current weather conditions
- Please arrive at least 45 minutes prior to your reservation in order to park, check in & board the vessel
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 240 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Travis_K
Beautiful experience from start to finish (including being directed into the parking space in their lot).
Crew showed enthusiasm throughout and were not by the book in terms of time! If we came across something interesting, they stopped to see it (even if it meant that we went over in time a little).
Naturalist who did the announcing was energetic and helped raise our excitement! They definitely seemed knowledgeable.
Spotted a variety of whales (including a shark with a huge dorsal fin).
Reviews
4.8
based on 4,595 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Aleksandra_S, Aug 2026
It was excellent! We saw two groups of whales. 5 and 3! They showed us their tales and fins. We saw a whales baby, that was jumping in the air and flopping it's fins.
Leslie_T, Aug 2026
Fabulous experience. We experienced 9 whales and the staff on board was extremely knowledgeable and approachable.
Karen_C, Aug 2026
This is my second time taking this tour. We had the best time. Captain was so nice and friendly and we saw so many whales. I would highly recommend this trip.
Becky_A, Aug 2026
A wonderful day with weather! Booked early morning to free up rest of the day! Saw several whales, had a great guide!
Rebecca_G, Aug 2026
It was amazing. The crew was incredibly kind and made it a point to ensure that everyone got a view of the wildlife. We even saw a Mola Mola and a leatherback sea turtle!
Shirley_M, Aug 2026
Amazing whale watching tour! The narrator was so knowledgeable and interesting to listen to, we loved learning all about the whales we saw and more. The captain took us on a smooth ride and we saw the whales up close and farther away. Truly an amazing experience not to miss!
Jolyn_S, Aug 2026
My Fiance & I had the most wonderful long weekend getaway to Boston, our 1st time to Massachusetts! In a fun filled itinerary this Whale Watching experience was definitely a highlight. The staff was so knowledgeable & friendly & the cruise ship was very clean. I don't think anything can compare to the awesomeness getting to see 6 Whales playing in the ocean together. Magnificent! Highly recommend!
Maria_R, Aug 2026
Excellent adventure watching whales. And we were even fortunate enough to catch some dolphins! All crew members were fantastic.
Sandra_C, Jul 2026
Was a bit choppy but weather was beautiful. I have been out whale watching quite a few times but saw dolphin, ocean sunfish and jellyfish in addition to a single whale and an active group of 5. Was amazing!!!
Betty_S, Jul 2026
The crew is very nice. They had a wealth of information. We saw several whales and even a large pod of dolphins and their babies..
Troy_B, Jul 2026
Great experience! Loved the facts and respectful distance we kept from whales. Saw at least 5 different humpbacks.
Lori_L, Jul 2026
Very knowledgeable and helpful staff. Had a wonderful time and saw several Wales. Boat had a full galley on board for all beverage and snacking needs
Laura_W, Jul 2026
What an amazing time we had, learned so much about whales, we seen several, and was just thrilled with the whole experience. Staff and crew and captain were A one
Laurel_C, Jul 2026
We saw SO many whales, dolphins, and seals! It was a gorgeous day and a perfect cruise. The crew were very welcoming and the naturalist narrating the cruise was very good. Overall a GREAT trip!!
Leonie_G, Jul 2026
Watch the weather b4 u go dress warm depends on the time of the year Be prepared to enjoy the scenery
Marina_M, Jun 2026
We had so much fun to see the whales for the first time. It was excellent experience good job thank you so much.🙏❤️
Julie_M, Jun 2026
It’s FANTASTIC! A full boat got to watch 20-30 whales in different activities. The highlight was about 7 whales feeding, taking big, giant gulps of fish together. The naturalist was speechless!
This was my second excursion in two weeks! Fascinating!
Joan_E, Jun 2026
We had a fabulous outing with Cape Ann Whale Watch!! Highly recommend the experience. The captain, crew and naturalist are all top notch and the whales chose to provide us with amazing views—we saw command calf pairs, bubble feeding, breaching, pec slapping and tail lobbing. A day to be remembered!
Extra bonus: they have free onsite parking
Julie_M, Jun 2026
Terrific adventure with the Hurricane II. Easy, off street, free parking. Helpful staff guiding us to board. Plenty of room for all guests.
We were surprised when 1 hour, and 45 minutes into the trip, we only saw open water, ocean. Calculating the mentioned length of the cruise, we anticipated turning back to Gloucester without a whale sighting!
And then it happened! I believe the educator called them associations of whales….clusters, really. We saw about 20 whales in the next hour! They surfaced, did blow holes spouts, flapped their flippers, saw many flukes, I forget what they did to make the nasty smell….all kinds of fun antics!
A five hour tour for us! Then back to a late lunch next door at Seaport Grill!
Thanks Hurricane II! We thoroughly enjoyed our day…in fact I’m now organizing another group to go again!
Christie_V, Jun 2026
HIGHLY recommend! Would definitely do again if ever in the area! This was definitely a highlight of our trip
Stacy_G, Jun 2026
This experience was fantastic. On the way out, there was a marine biology intern that took a lot of time explaining what kind of whales we might see and why they were where they were. She was walking around, talking to different groups. A real personal experience. They we saw the whales. They were so close to the boat. The captain made sure everyone got to see them. We probably spent 2 1/2 hours just watching the whales. Definitely would recommend this to everyone.
Karen_B, Jun 2026
Great tour! They definitely know what they are doing. The captain knew where to place us to see whales and the staff were using educational props to educate us on information about the whales and their habits. Should bring sunglasses and a lightweight coat and hat or visor. It is great you can take your own food and drink with you (nonalcoholic). This saved us lots of money and we had what we needed to keep everyone fed and happy. We went in a group of Fourteen; 8 adults and 6 grandkids
jennifer_b, Jun 2026
Friendly staff, educational and staff entertained the younger kids. Was able to see 5 whales. Wish they sold blankets on the ship since it was a little cold
katherinepower6, Jun 2026
It was awesome! Saw 2 calves and a few mothers and a male. Was great! Very knowledgable about the animals and who they were
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your review! It has been a great spring for whale watching and we appreciate you joining us. Thanks
Shivaramakrishn_S, May 2026
The onboard crew was really resourceful. They gave the best experience we couldn't forget. I have been to whale watch in the past but this is the best of all.
Joseph_I, May 2026
Fantastic! Boat crew was terrific. We saw 8 whales including a mother and calf. Worth every penny!!!!!
Kayla_R, Apr 2026
Completely exceeded our expectations! To the point I would probably never do this again because I can’t imagine another experience topping this!
Casey_A, Oct 2025
Great work by the entire team! The boat got out to the waters quickly and we saw Humpback Whales and Dolphins - we even stayed out there for about an hour checking out the sea life.
In addition to the great sea life, the tour guides were very knowledgeable and helpful throughout. I highly recommend! 10/10
I will add as the only caveat, we went out in late October, so the seas were choppy at times. While I never get seasick, it looked like quite a few people did on the voyage... Just remember before booking if you are prone to it.
Kathleen_A, Oct 2025
Had a fabulous time! The whales put on a sweet show for us! The weather stayed friendly and sunny. The sea was wonderful and the trip guides did a great job. Thanks to all.
Carrie_T, Oct 2025
We had a wonderful time ! They did a great job finding whales and then getting us over to see them! The only thing we would recommend is more speakers. The Naturalist was very knowledgeable but we couldn’t hear her. Also, maybe a little better communication on the whole process, what was going to be happening throughout the day. We really enjoyed it though and would recommend it to anyone coming to the area. Thank you for a great day.
From $48.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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